Issue 176
March 2019
February marked a historic moment for the UFC in the southern hemisphere as the Octagon landed in Perth, Australia for the first time in its history for UFC 221.
Like many of the UFC pay-per-views in 2018, UFC 221 caused no end of headaches for the UFC matchmakers with plans scrapped left, right and center for many months leading up to February 11.
An interim UFC middleweight title fight between Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold eventually took the headline spot, but Romero missing weight by 2.7 pounds on weigh-in day meant that the bout was officially a catchweight contest come fight night.
Fighters missing weight and then going on to win would be a strong theme throughout the year and such was the case at UFC 221. Romero knocking out Rockhold as he lay against the cage with a punch that looked none too dissimilar to someone throwing a bowling ball down an alley, was an image many found hard to take given the Cuban’s failure to make weight and Rockhold’s depleted state just 24-hours earlier. It was a victory however that secured Romero a title shot later on in the year.
UFC 221 was also notable for the debut of Israel Adesanya. “Stylebender” put on a show for the Australian fans with a powerful display of technical striking. It was the first of four impressive victories under the UFC banner in 2018 and the start of his rise to stardom.
February also saw the crowning of another double-weight MMA world champion. ONE Championship middleweight boss, Aung La Nsang captured the promotion’s light heavyweight title in front of his home fans in Yangon, Myanmar when “the Burmese Python” stopped Alexandre Machado.
Also this month
- Lyoto Machida defeated Erik Anders in the main event at UFC Fight Night Belem.
- Jeremy Stephens won for the second time in two months beating Josh Emmett at UFC on Fox 28.
- Donald Cerrone defeated Yancy Medeiros at UFC Fight Night Austin.
- Matt Mitrione defeated Roy Nelson to advance in the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix.
